Update from the crafts initiative

Sea to Sea Bike Tour--Denver Rally

Sunday, July 27

Englewood High School

3800 S. Logan St.

Englewood, Colorado

9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

and then

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Please note that there is a one-hour church service starting at 10:30 and the booth area might not be open at that time.

The Sea To Sea Bike tour includes more than 200 bicyclists riding across the United States (and part of Canada) from Puget Sound to the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. The purpose of the tour is to raise awareness of and to inspire others to work to end the cycle of poverty locally, nationally, and globally. To learn more about the tour and its purpose, visit http://www.seatosea.org/.

A Little Something was invited to participate in this event because of our mission and commitment to empowerment through education and self-sufficiency. The rally is not a crafts fair or festival like those we normally attend; rather, it is meant to bring people together to learn about and connect with volunteer opportunities that build supportive communites and programs that contribute to ending the cycle of poverty.

Sharon (who is a former Very Serious Cyclist herself) will be wearing two hats at once and hoping it's not too hot, as she is not only the volunteer coordinator for the Colorado Refugee English as a Second Language In-Home Tutoring Program but also a member of Team A Little Something. If you're not busy next Sunday morning, stop in and maybe buy a nice necklace or a woven bag, or just chat with us about why we do what we do. Of course, if you'd like to bring a friend who might like to be a home tutor, Sharon would really like to talk to you!

Since this event will be relatively small, it would be a good time for you to come and shop with us--take your time, try things on...We hope to see you there.

PBS: Darfur on Wide Angle

Wide Angle: Heart of Darfur
KBDI Channel 12, Denver
Thursday, July 17 1:30 a.m.
Sunday, July 27 7:00 p.m.
or view online (see below)

photo: National Geographic


Throughout the month of July, the PBS series, Wide Angle, is featuring a documentary about Darfur. Many stations are also running a P.O.V. documentary about Darfur, On Our Watch.

Both documentaries examine the Darfur situation, but in different ways. On Our Watch details how and why the conflict has gone mostly unaddressed by UN member nations. Be advised that the film is graphic and very disturbing. You might feel deeply disillusioned after this one, if not a little nauseated.

The current documentary, Heart of Darfur, shows what the complxity of the current situation is, why it is happening, why little has changed, and the daily dilemma faced by the UN/African Union peace keeping forces.

Both of these incredibly compelling documentaries go beyond the story of Darfur as they provide sad yet valuable insight into the troubles faced by millions of refugees around the world.

For more information or to watch the documentary online, visit the PBS Wide Angle Website. The site has an extensive collection of resources--including interviews, videos, and background reading--related to the program and the war in Darfur.

Ka-BOOM!! And the rockets' red glare

Although many people welcome the joyous, thundering sound and bright flash of fireworks on the Fourth of July, these same sounds can be very unsettling for others.

Many of the people enrolled in the in-home tutoring program lived in the midst of war, surrounded by the noise of exploding ordnance. What sounds like celebratory noise making for us may bring back traumatic memories for our students.

It might be helpful if you let your student know about the fireworks ahead of time. Try to explain with pictures (and sound effects, if necessary) what will be happening and when. Most Denver-area celebrations and fireworks displays will be on Friday or Saturday night. Some are in the midst of a residential area, as is the case in Glendale. Fair warning is a very good way to put minds at ease! In my neighborhood, there aren't any professional shows, but the neighbors have been scaring the heck out of my dog with all of the premature firecrackers and illegal fireworks. The neighbors got about a two-week head-start on the holiday, and that has to be confusing for those who don't understand what's going on.

If you think your student will be OK, why not take her to see a fireworks show? What a wonderful way to share America's birthday with a newcomer!

Want to try a group?

I currently have a need for a team teacher who can work with a group of pre-literate Somali Bantu women. The class meets twice a week, but you would only teach one of those days, unless you wanted to assist the Thursday teacher.

There are currently about seven women enrolled in the class; however, due to a recent baby boom, attendance has been somewhat erratic.

Class is held in the Lincoln South public housing complex close to the light rail station at 10th Ave. at Osage St., near downtown Denver. The commitment is 2.5 hours of teaching per week, plus prep time. This is a team teaching assignment, and you must be willing to work under the direction of the lead teacher.

The volunteer in this position must be female. It would be most helpful if you have experience working with very low-level learners. Call Sharon at 720-423-4843 if you would like more information about the class.

Thanks!

A big thank you to James Horan and Anders Snyder of Lutheran Family Services Refugee and Asylee programs and to Margaret Htoo, formerly of Mae La camp, for their excellent presentations at the in-service training last night.

James did an outstanding job of explaining the latest developments in refugee resettlement, particularly regarding the events in Nepal/Bhutan and Iraq. Anders's slide show helped the group get an idea of the situation on the Burma-Thailand border. These compelling images also illustrated Margaret's personal perspective on the life of the Karen people.


Thanks to the volunteers and Emily Griffith staff who took the time to hear this incredibly interesting and helpful presentation. Although the group in attendance was very small, interest and participation were notably high!

CNN explains Mae La and the Karen

In case you missed it, CNN recently put up a great Website about the Karen in Mae La Camp in Thailand. Click here to access the story. This information might be of interest to anyone who wonders “Who are the Karen and why are they here?”

The site includes:

A news story

Three videos

A slideshow (with Karen folk singing—you might want to start with the volume on “low.”

An “explainer” with maps and statistical information

Historical backgrounder on the plight of the Karen people

You can navigate using the red tabs just above the story, or the embedded links within the story itself. Each section is fairly short, so there isn’t too much information to overwhelm you. This is very informative, accessible, and interesting!

A handy map of Burmese camps

If your student is from Burma, you might find it helpful to have a map of the Burmese-Thai border. UNHCR has produced a map showing the location of all of the UNHCR camps where Burmese refugees are currently housed. Most of Denver's Burmese are coming from Mae La camp, close to the city of Mae Sot.

You can access the map by clicking here. It prints very nicely in color.

Fill your head with knowledge!

Mark your calendar!

Thursday, June 26
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Inservice Training for CRESL Home tutors
Emily Griffith opportunity School
1250 Welton St.
Denver

Topic: Who's coming to Denver?

New Expected and Arriving Refugee Populations 2008-2009

Presenters: James Horan, director, and Anders Snyder, community Outreach Coordinator, Lutheran Family Services' Refugee and Asylee Programs in Denver

Join us for the evening and learn about the newest refugee groups coming to Colorado. Where are they from? What is their history? What lead to their refugee situation?

James and Anders have extensive experience working the front lines of refugee resettlement in Denver. Anders spent some time in a Burmese camp in Thailand. James is among the first in Colorado to receive new and updated information about the refugee populations in our state. There will be ample time allowed for your questions!

Tentatively scheduled: An additional presentation about the Burmese Karen, their culture and life as refugees in Thailand and in the U.S.

If you would like to attend this informative evening, please RSVP to Sharon at sharon_mccreary@dpsk12.org.

The Girl Effect

I invite you to share in a five-minute food-for-thought snack. You'll feel a sense of fullness you didn't expect. I encourage you to also click on the two orange links at the bottom of the presentation screen: About and Fact Sheet, as well as any other links that appear.

After the initial presentation, not the "Learn, Change, Share" logo on the upper left side of the screen. Please click on the words for more information and some insightful videos. If you can't see anything in this post, go to http://www.girleffect.org/

As a participant in a program that has a huge stake in the education of women, I hope that you find inspiration in this short presentation (about two minutes).

Beds, pillows, sheets, etc.

The influx of refugees being resettled in the U.S. has increased quite a bit recently. The resettlement agencies are really in need of furnishings for the refugees' apartments. today I received this message from Genevieve Cruz at Ecumenical Refugee Service. If you can help, please contact Ecumenical directly:

Please help me spread the word to our friends and family that the Ecumenical Refugee & Immigration Services is in desperate need of single beds, bunk-beds, pillows and bedding. We have a high volume of single people coming over the next few months. We originally were not a site that handled single refugees, but more and more we're asked by our government to take them, especially from Burma and Iraq.

If you are in a position to help, please contact our donations coordinator, Joyce Hanson at 303-860-0128, ext 130. Leave a name and phone number for a scheduled pickup (we'll come and get it!). All donations are tax deductible!

Thanks again and take care,

Genevieve Cruz/ERIS
Director or Sponsorship & Development
Volunteer/Internship Coordinator
303-860-0128 x112
http://www.ersden.org/

Don't forget!!!

It is time to report your tutoring hours for the month of May. Please don't forget! I need to know your hours absolutely no later than Friday, June 6 at noon.

Email is fine! Just to reiterate: I can count any actual contact time you had with your student (including telephone time), but not your planning or travel time.

Your target time should be a minimum of 8 hours of contact time per month! If your student has been cancelling a lot of your scheduled lessons, please let me know. The students know that they, too, are required to put in some time and effort.

As always, thanks so much for the wonderful work you do! I look forward to receiving your email messages in the next few days.

SM

Events: World Refugee Day & UN Day Against Torture

Click picture to enlarge

What is World Refugee Day?
The United Nations General Assembly designated June 20 as World Refugee Day as a way to recognize and celebrate the contribution of refugees throughout the world. World Refugee Day is an annual commemoration marked by events in over a hundred countries. This year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will commemorate World Refugee Day with the inspirational theme: “To Feel at Home,” to draw the public’s attention to the millions of refugees worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes. Click here to go to the official site.

UN Day Against Torture
Rehabilitation centers and programs and human rights organizations around the world celebrate the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26. The day reminds us that torture is a crime and provides us with an opportunity to stand united and voice our opinion against torture, a cruel violation of human rights.

The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims has selected “Help us erase torture” as the theme of the 2008 global campaign. The goal is to encourage all people to think of actions that they and others can take to eradicate the man-made scourge of torture from our world.

The IRCT has also published a photo book (also available as a slideshow online) as part of the 2008 day of commemoration. You can access the slideshow via the Website, or click here to see the book.

Encouraging healthy habits!

One issue that frequently comes up in this program is the need for nutrition education among refugees. When someone has spent years "doing without," the vast array of food in supermarkets here can be overwhelming. There is also a strong tendency to buy foods that are advertised on TV, junk food, and foods with a lot of sugar. Heart disease and diabetes are just two of the health conditions that are soaring among the resettled refugee populations in the Untied States.

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has published a nutrition education toolkit that is specifically targeted to the refugee population. The language is simple, the illustrations reflect the population served, and everything in it can be used to teach your food-related lessons! Did I mention it's free?

The materials come in many languages, so if your student is literate, you could work with the materials in English and then provide a translated copy for the student to use at home. Some of the languages available are: Arabic, Amharic, Burmese, Karen, Farsi, French, Kirundi, Somali, Swahili, Russian, Vietnamese. There is even a 16"x20" poster you can reduce to 8"x10" so it will fit on regular paper. The poster shows what a balanced diet looks like.

Other materials (and they are fabulous!) include an eight-page brochure outlining different aspects of healthy eating, the poster, and a flipchart book for teachers to use. You could easily print out the flip book, three-hole punch it, put it in a binder and use it as a teaching tool. The link to download the flip book is right under the picture of it.

To see and download any of the materials, click here.

First wife, second wife, third wife...

From National Public Radio's All things Considered...An engaging story about Muslim polygamy in America. The story looks at this religious and cultural practice among immigrants--mostly African--who know it is not allowed in the U.S., but for a variety of practical and personal reasons, continue to live in plural marriage.

Several in-home tutors have inquired about this topic after realizing that his or her student was one of several wives sharing a husband. Yes, the practice does continue after families resettle in the United States. To find out why and what the women think about it, check out the NPR story by clicking here. The story is available in text format or click the icon on the page to listen.

The New York Times ran a story about African immigrant polygamists last year. You can read it online here.

What you don't know about your brain

When you attended training to be a volunteer in this program, there was a brief discussion about the mechanics of the brain as they relate to learning. There is a new book out--for the layperson, not the medical professional--about understanding the brain's function. The book, which takes you on a guided tour of your brain, also debunks some popular myths about brain function (the 10% rule, for example). Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life by Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wong was reviewed on National Public Radio earlier this week.

For a glimpse at some of the brain facts you probably didn't know, listen to the NPR interview by clicking here. It is just under four minutes long and well worth your time. If you're not inclined to listen to the authors' interview, at least munch on this very relevant bit of information that wraps up the story: "Two study sessions with a break between them is twice as effective as a single study session of the same total length."

For the Job Hunters...

Spring Institute is seeking an enthusiastic and outgoing person willing to become “the keeper of the details” and help coordinate their Community ESL program. Please see the attached job announcement for Community ESL Program Coordinator & Lead Teacher at Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning.

This position is directly available. Please send targeted resume by June 13, 2008 to: Chris Tombari, Director of Language Services (1610 Emerson Street, Denver, Colorado 80218; ctombari@springinstitute.org; Tel: 303-863-0188; Fax: 303-863-0178).

For the job description, please click here.

Catching up--in Karen!

If you are working with a Karen student from Burma, there are some materials available online that may be of interest to you. These books, dictionaries and newsletters are all downloadable--most are free. Almost everything is in Karen; few things have been translated. (The Karen Proverbs book has been translated and it is a lot of fun!).

There is a selection of articles and short publications for adults, as well as a collection of children's stories and newsletters. You won't understand it, but if your student has been itching to read something in her own language--or wishing her kids could--this is the place you've been looking for.

Also worth noting, on the left side of the screen, there are downloadable Karen fonts and a Karen keyboard layout for anyone who has a computer but wishes to write in Karen and not English.

For the downloadable materials, go to Drum Publications. To learn more about Drum Publications and their mission, click here.

Want to learn a little Karen language? This part of the Website teaches basic phrases and it uses sound. Enjoy!

Update on Aung San Suu Kyi

On May 26, 2008, the ruling military Junta in Myanmar declared that democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi is to continue being held under house arrest for at least another year. The Nobel Peace Prize winner's current detention has been in place since May 30, 2003. By further detaining Suu Kyi, the Myanmar junta has violated its own law limiting detention in the form of house arrest to no more than five years.

For more information on this story, click here.
(photo copyright 2008 Associated Press)

From the Internet

If you're interested in learning more about the Burmese refugees living in Thailand, I've come across some excellent Websites that have valuable (and interesting) background information. Note that almost every site has a photo gallery, slideshow, or "museum" with pictures! If you have a particular interest in the cultural background of this population, read on...

Cultural Cornerstones: Most of the information on the site was poted in the last three years, so it is more current than most. The documentary, music recording sessions, and photography were all produced in Mae La camp, home to the Karen refugees currently living in Colorado.

There are three photo stories. Let the slide show run and they will sequence automatically.

Outer Voices is a six-part multimedia project devoted to sharing the stories, strategies, and tools of women peace activists from the traditional cultures of the Pacific Islands and the Asian Pacific Rim. Listen to Kawthoolei the stories of Karen women involved in the struggle for freedom--and peace--in one of the most volatile places in Asia.

The Karen Women's Organization - Documenting the struggles of the Burmese people through the eyes of Karen women. Fascinating!

The Karen: This is a very short, very easy overview. Be sure to navigate through the options on the left side of the screen, paying particular attention to "Dress" and "Language."

Karen Folktales. Excellent to adapt to your student's level of English to provide reading in a familiar context!!

Karen Konnection From the Baptist Church. Check the links to the left for lots of news and information. My favorite section, believe it or not, was the slideshow of Karen weavers.

This should be enough to keep you busy for a while!

Support your local refugee development efforts!

Diversity Day 2008
Thursday, May 15
Emily Griffith Opportunity School
1250 Welton St.
Denver
9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Tour the World!

For one day each year, the crossroads of the world are at 12th and Welton Streets. Travel from room to room and visit exotic places you always wanted to see. Our school will be transformed to represent various areas of the world with food, pictures, music, dance, videos, and native dress. Students from these regions are eager to tell you about life in their countries.

Shop in the international market! Sample ethnic food along the way, or stay for a lunch of global cuisine! Enjoy a variety show featuring talent from around the globe! Get first-hand cultural perspectives in the Hall of Nations! Don't miss the dramatic flair of the parade of nations!

Come along for the tour--the world is waiting!

11:30 - 2:30
Sunday, May 18

Augustana Lutheran Church
5200 E. Alameda Ave.
Denver

From Bosnia to Zimbabwe, Global Market is a chance to celebrate, connect and learn from the diverse sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tales of the many cultures of the globe represented in Denver by a variety of refugee, asylee and immigrant communities. Entertainment, food, art, crafts, jewelry, fashion and more.

Latin Music• Hmong Dancers• Nepalese Dancers• AfricanDrumming &Dance
• Jewelry • Beading • Weaving • Handbags • Clothing • Wood Carvings • Batik Wall Hangings • Coffee Products • Henna • Wire Art